EINVERSTÄNDNIS & ENTSCHEIDUNG

wir/sie ziehen alle an einem Strang; wir wollen alle unter einen Hut bringen = we need to read from the same page; they are committed to being on the same page; we’ve got to sing the same tune on this issue; seeking to present a united front on this topic is a must; we are bonding the group into a closely-knitted team; it’s all about being united as a front; we have to speak with one voice; we need to find universal agreement; the government pitches/touts a clear and succinct message of unity 

ich kann es nachvollziehen (Kurzantwort) = (I) get it; got it; I see/I see/know what you mean/I can figure that; I can imagine; I can relate to it/that; I can see why; it's a no-brainer; (I ) get your point; we’re on the same page on this; I’m with you (on it/this (issue); I can go along with that; I couldn’t agree more with you (on this issue); it’s OK with me; yeah, makes sense (to me); sure, I (can) follow you 

ich/er/sie kann es nachvollziehen (Langantwort) = he/she got it figured out; I feel empathy for/empathize with his/her predicament/ ordeal; I‘d say the strike by the garbage collectors is absolutely warranted; this seems to be pretty obvious to me; I can sort of agree with/ relate to that; I can corroborate/concur with that; I think/guess this is warranted; we seem to have the same opinion on this matter  

ich kann es nachvollziehen (emotionaler Schmerz) = I’m bleeding for you/I can empathise with you

Können Sie es nachvollziehen? (andere Varianten) = (Are) you with me? Do you follow me? Can you see why? (Do) you get it? Do you get my point? 

es ist nachvollziehbar = it’s plain to see; gotcha (I got you)!; it’s understandable; there is a good/valid reason; It figures! It adds up! Makes sense!

etwas nicht nachvollziehen können (Kurzantwort) = it/this just doesn’t add up/stack up to me; I can’t figure why; I don’t quite/can’t follow you; he/she just didn’t get it; I can’t relate to that/make it out; I don’t/wouldn’t go along with that; I can’t/couldn’t/I was hard-pressed to imagine (it/this); I don’t quite get it/the point; this is pretty elusive to me; she wasn’t exactly thrilled with the decision; this is getting murky; (This/it) beats me!; Search me!; it/this is beyond me/my comprehension; this/it is hard to fathom; This is  unfathomable/unprecedented/ unheard of!; this decision defies logic

etwas nicht nachvollziehen können (Langantwort) =  I/he was left wondering; the issue doesn’t have legs; I am still trying to fathom/grasp the reasoning/success behind it; this whole situation beats me; this is not logically consistent with normal behavior

alle Personen/Abteilungen werden eingebunden = the political allies put on a show of unity; the company’s departments are finally operating from the same playbook; we should act as one unit collectively

das geht in Ordnung = this is up to the mark/up to scratch/up to snuff 

Ist es angemessen/stimmt es? = (Is this) fair enough? Is it right/correct?

es stimmt = you’re right; you’ve got it right; it’s true; right; correct; exactly; right on; righto (AUS); it’s OK

es stimmt, dass sie ein schönes Mädchen ist und eine Expertin in Archäologie/Weltgeschichte ist =   there’s no denying that she is a beautiful girl and an expert in archeology/world history 

es ist alles im grünen Bereich  = everything is on track; everything is in the pink/is shipshape

alle/viele wollen mitmachen mit = the proposal has been universally embraced; everybody is buying into the idea; a lot of guys are hitching a ride on the climate change bandwagon; just get in on the act/pitch in/join the party/club

ich mache nicht mit = he didn’t show any willingness to go/play along with my idea; I‘m not buying into/I'm not on board with your idea; for this project please include me out (humorous); I’m taking issue with the proposal; I’m going (gonna) sit this one out; don’t count on me 

er macht nur mit, weil er nichts Besseres zu tun hat =  he is just going/playing along for the ride

er hat die harte Entscheidung hingenommen/akzeptiert = he took the tough decision in his stride; she put up with the somehow controversial decision 

er hat eine Vereinbarung mit seinem Partner getroffen = he made an accomodation with his partner 

wir müssen jetzt eine Entscheidung treffen/einen Beschluss fassen = it’s about time to make/to go ahead with a decision/call; let’s cut to the chase and make a decision/move right now; you should now exercise your option/discretion; the tipping point for a decision has come; it’s time to decide on/rule on the rogue minister‘s fate; let’s put paid to this matter 

wir müssen gut beraten sein, wenn wir Entscheidungen treffen = we'd (had)better/should be well placed to/ought to take/pay heed to an expert’s advice/ opinion before going ahead with our plan; we will be better served if decisions are made based on the recommendations/ suggestions of our medical panel; our corporation is always intent on not making any ill-advised/ill-judged decisions 

wir befinden uns in einer kritischen Lage, daher müssen wir bald handeln/uns entscheiden = we have reached a sticking point/we’re at a crossroads/facing a critical juncture on the issue/this is a sticky situation; we are about to enter the home stretch, so tough/big calls need to be made 

du musst/Sie müssen zeitnah eine Entscheidung treffen = you’ve got (gotta) make up your mind soon 

das ist das A und O;  darauf kommt es an = that's the name of the game;  bottom line is that you’ve gotta make the right calls in the financial arena to get rich 

Wie sieht’s aus mit der Entscheidung? = Have you made up your mind (yet)? Which way are you/they leaning?

nun liegt es bei Ihnen/dir  = it’s up to you (now) 

das war eine spontane Entscheidung =  that was a spur-of-the-moment decision 

wenn es darauf ankommt, müssen Politiker/muss der Vorstand/die Mannschaft liefern = when it counts/comes down to it, politicians/the Board of Directors/team will have to deliver 

bei manchen Themen muss man Druck ausüben, damit der Manager endlich eine Entscheidung trifft =  on certain issues the manager needs to be pinned down (i.e. he/she has to make a decision)   

er/sie soll (endgültig) entscheiden = the (final) decision rests solely with him/her

heute ist der Tag der Entscheidung = today is crunch day for the team/company

die Entscheidung ist gefallen = the die is cast

das war eine sehr harte Entscheidung = it was a tough call/a very hardline ruling

sie hat die korrekte Entscheidung getroffen = she made the right call;  she’s not afraid of making decisions and is a woman who never sits on the fence

smarte Führungskräfte sind äußerst anpassungsfähig/resilient/können schnell reagieren =  versatile/malleable managers know how to move with the times/roll with the punches; smart executives are always quick off the mark/can adapt on the fly; their decision-making is usually spot-on

wenn alle Stricke reißen = when push comes to shove/when worse comes to worst you need/got to act; push is coming to shove now

von dem Regen in die Traufe kommen = she jumped out of the frying pan/pot into the fire       

die Wahl zwischen Pest und Cholera haben = he found himself between Scylla and Charybdis/ between the devil and the deep blue see/ stuck between a rock and a hardplace

der Plan ist in trockenen Tüchern/in Stein gemeißelt = our plan is finally set/etched in stone/concrete; the deal has been signed, sealed and delivered; once the financing for our project is approved we’ll be home and hosed/shovel-ready; the deal is ironclad/watertight/cut and dried

ich habe keine Handhabe, deshalb kann ich nicht entscheiden = sorry, but I have no discretion in the case; as you can see my hands are tied; a high-level intervention will be needed to settle this matter

man soll den Tag nicht vor dem Abend loben   = let’s not push our luck; so far, so good; we shouldn’t take everything for granted

es ist noch nicht aller Tage Abend/die Nummer ist (noch) nicht durch = it/the opera ain’t/isn’t over until/till the fat lady sings; the fat lady hasn’t sung (yet); the jury is still out on this issue/on whether to go ahead with the ambitious plan or not; the chips are not down yet; it ain’t over till it’s over (in this cliché common usage is “ain’t” rather than “isn’t”); let’s not jump the gun and celebrate a title which we haven’t won yet; the (League) title is still up for grabs

es geht ans Eingemachte = it’s crunch/money time now; when push comes to shove/when it matters most you must act; he’s going nuclear/ pursuing the nuclear option now;  now; when the chips are down/the going gets tough/the gloves are off you gotta do something 

jetzt reicht’s mir, lass uns mal zur Sache gehen = I’m done with screwing around/messing around, so let’s drop the hammer on this job/task

hör auf mit dem Rumeiern/Quatsch und mach was =   stop/quit screwing around/messing around/fooling around/mucking around (AUS) and get down to business   

du sollst endlich mal was tun =   Stop pussyfooting around/tiptoeing  around and get a move/wiggle on! Get off your backside!

friss oder stirb, eine Entscheidung muss her = take it or leave it; love it or lump it; put up or shut up; no more fence-sitting, it’s fish or cut bait; grin and bear it; shape up or ship out; don't sweat on the decision any longer 

sie haben beschlossen, ihr Leben umzukrempeln = they decided to give their lives a complete makeover

dies wird am grünen Tisch entschieden = looks like this will be another armchair decision by backseat drivers/self-styled experts

Schwamm drüber, die Entscheidung ist schon gefallen = the decision has been made, so it’s time to move on; let bygones be bygones; no need to cry over spilled milk

ich würde mir wünschen, dass mein Chef nicht so zögerlich Entscheidungen trifft = I wish my boss wouldn’t pussyfoot around too much before finally making a decision

man steht am Scheideweg/ist noch immer unentschlossen = I was in two minds about the house purchase; the party straddles a line between two opposites; right now we are at a fork in the road; we don’t know which way to go; we need to take it day by day

die Partei/Regierung steckt in einem Dilemma bzw. muss zwischen zwei gleichermaßen unangenehmen Vorgehensweisen wählen =  the party/government is caught/stuck between a rock and a hard place//has to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action; the government is on the horns of a dilemma

es ist immer schwierig, den Mittelweg zwischen zwei guten Optionen zu finden = it’s always hard to find middle ground between two good options

wer sich nicht gerne festlegt, hat schlechte Karten in der Geschäftswelt = an individual who is too commitment-shy won’t make it in the business world; Why always be non-committal about a topic?

du solltest mich nicht festnageln = don’t hold me to/pin me down on what you just said/proposed 

wir analysieren die Auswirkungen unserer Entscheidung = we are in the process of assessing the implications/fallout/reaction of the decision/move 

er/sie haben eine schlechte/fatale Entscheidung getroffen = he/she made a poor/an ill-fated decision

ich muss immer dran denken, dass er die falsche Entscheidung getroffen hat = I can't help but think that he made the wrong decision er/sie hätte es wissen müssen, dass er/sie die falsche und nicht die richtige Entscheidung getroffen hat =   he/she should have known better, that he/she made the wrong decision, and should have been smart enough to make the right one 

dies ist eine erbärmliche Entscheidung für unsere Zukunft = this is a decision that spells disaster/trouble for our future

man muss mit einer Entscheidung leben, auch wenn man dagegen war = even if the decision didn’t go your way you’d better take it with good grace; he wouldn’t hide his dismay at the decision